Tadpole update 2

Exciting news, the tadpoles in the tank have started developing their back legs. Some of the largest tadpoles are now about 4cm in length and, either side of the base of their tail, we can now see their back legs. It won’t be long before I have to start thinking about putting something into the tank that they can climb out on to.

The tadpoles in the pond are, as you’d expect, some way behind the indoor tadpoles. They’re still only about 2cm long and definitely haven’t got legs yet. There also seems to be a dramatic increase in the number of newts (Triturus vulgaris) in the pond so they’re bound to be taking a heavy toll on the pond tadpoles… That said it was great to watch the smooth newts doing their courtship routines in the pond this evening.

I also saw a newt tadpole, or possibly an eft, in the pond. It was about 4cm long and still had gills so must’ve, as I suspected, overwintered in the pond.